What Happened After
by joedan84
Summary: Riley showed up to help with the final showdown, but he was too late. He meets up with Willow in LA, and romance ensues
1. Default Chapter

Started: July 18, 2003

Finished: September 26, 2003

Last Episode Seen Before Writing: Chosen

Pairing: Willow/Riley, slight Angel/Cordelia

Rating: PG

Category: Romance, Drama, Buffy/Angel crossover

Spoilers: Chosen

Summary: 

Disclaimer: I do not own these characters or show, and am not making profit….damnit!

****

What Happened After

Riley showed up _after_ Sunnydale caved in. He showed up _after_ the Scoobies lost Anya, and Spike, and most of the potentials. Riley showed up _after_ Willow became a goddess and the rest of the potentials became Slayers. He came to help save the world, but he was too late. It was saved without him.

But he didn't know that. All Riley saw when he got to Sunnydale was, well, a crater where Sunnydale should have been. Just a giant, charred hole. As if someone had stuck a pin in the city and it had deflated in upon itself. A massive crater devoid of anything, including human life. 

When Riley saw it, his stomach dropped out. He was too late to help. He _knew_ his friends were in the bottom of that crater. They had probably gone straight to the source, Sunnydale High, to rid the world of The First. From the looks of it, they had gone down fighting. Buffy, Willow, Xander, Dawn, Giles. They didn't take things lying down. They were always in the thick of it, right in the fight. And now, he was afraid it had cost them their lives.

So, he went to the one place he knew where he could get answers. Riley knew he wouldn't be welcome at Angel Investigations, but if Angel would only give him two seconds to tell him who had lived and who hadn't, he'd be forever grateful. 

Riley made the two hour ride to LA in a record one hour. His car screeched to a halt outside of the massive Hyperion.

Willow was walking out of the back office, her eyes glued to a book in her hand as Riley came rushing in. "Angel Investigations, we help the hopeless," she said without looking up.

A wave of relief washed over Riley. "Willow!" he said, jogging to her and wrapping her in a bear hug, making her drop her book.  
Willow let out a little shriek as Riley lifted her off the floor. "Good to see you again, too, Riley," she said with a little giggle, hugging him back.

Riley set her back down, blushing slightly. "Sorry, Will. I saw Sunnydale and I thought…" he trailed off, looking at her. His voice went soft. "Is Buffy…?"

Willow smiled reassuringly, leading Riley to the couch in the lobby. "She's fine. She and Dawnie went to Cleveland to help out with the hellmouthish badness _there_."

Riley nodded. "And everyone else?"

Willow looked down, then forced herself to look back at Riley. "We lost a lot of potentials, but everyone else is okay, except…"

Riley put a comforting hand on her back. "Except who, Will? Xander?"

"No! Xander's fine, more than fine. Perfectly fine," she said, pausing, her voice lowering. "But, uh, Anya and Spike… They didn't make it out."

"Oh, I'm so sorry, Willow," he sympathized, rubbing her back lightly. 

Willow gave a small smile. "We couldn't have done it without them," she said, forcing a brighter smile. "So, what's up with you? It's been a while. Are you still Mr. Initiative? Where's Sam?"

Riley frowned, pulling his hand back. "We, uh, split up soon after we left Sunnydale," he said, glancing at Willow. "She wanted to quit, and I wasn't ready."

"Riley, I'm sorry," Willow said with a sympathetic smile.

"I think I knew it wouldn't work," he said with a shrug. "But, anyway, I'm out now. Decided to call it quits after a too-close run-in with a Goolac demon."

Before Willow could respond, Cordelia walked in, a grin spreading across her face when she noticed Willow talking comfortably with a guy on the couch. "Who's the hunk, Will? Is he boyfriendly?" she asked, giving Willow a teasing smile.

Willow blushed bright red. "No!" she said, not looking at Riley.

Cordelia's eyes widened. "Oh! Are you a client?" she asked, the same grin lighting up her eyes. "A paying client?"

Riley laughed lightly, standing and holding out his hand. "Riley Finn, and you are?"

"Cordelia Chase," she answered, shaking his hand with a charming smile.

"Cordy," Willow said quietly, giving her a "back off" look.

Cordelia pulled her hand back with an apologetic look. "Oh, sorry, didn't know he was off limits."

"Cordelia Chase," Riley repeated to himself, trying to suppress a smile. "Queen C. You're Xander's ex."

Cordelia made a face. "Riley Finn," she said, and you could almost see a light bulb go off over her head. "You're the guy Angel beat up on when he went to Sunnydale."

Riley made a face. "Yeah, that would be me."

Willow giggled. "Now that everyone knows each other," she said, turning to Riley. "Where are you staying?"

Cordelia stepped forward, giving Willow a wink. "You can stay here if you want. We're definitely not lacking in the rooms," she said, ignoring Willow's shocked look.

Riley smiled at Willow. "If it's alright with Angel, that would be great until I can find a place. I went to Sunnydale to help out, but that seems to be moot now."

"We could always use extra help around AI," Cordelia said, not backing down.

"Cordy!" Willow hissed under her breath.

Riley bit back a laugh. "Again, if it's okay with Angel." 

"It will be. I have a lot of pull with LA's number one vampire," she said, taking his arm. "Willow can show you to a spare room. Can't you, Will?"

Willow blushed again. "Yep, I can definitely do that. It's what I do best! Okay, not what I do best because there's the researchy stuff and I'm definitely better at that, and I'm getting better with the big magicks-"

Cordelia cut her off. "Follow her, she can show you the way," she said, giving Willow another wink before going back into the office.


	2. 2

Chapter 2

"Xander, duck!" Willow shouted as a particularly large red demon came up behind her friend.

Xander dropped to the ground just in time to miss the large claws. He scrambled away as Willow hit the demon with a blast of magickal energy, knocking it away from him. As the demon fell backwards Riley stepped up behind it, raising his sword. The demon impaled itself on the sword, immediately turning into green goo.

Xander stood, dusting himself off. "Thanks, guys," he said breathlessly.

"No problem," Willow answered brightly before turning to Riley. "Are you okay?"

Riley nodded with a reassuring smile. "Super."

"Does anyone else think it's kind of cool that the demon was red, yet it turned to green goo?" Xander asked, looking at his friends. "It's like the demon version of Christmas in June."

Riley raised an eyebrow. "You come _this_ close to getting mauled and the first thing that comes to mind is how the demon looks like Christmas?"

"I was trying to get my mind off my near death experience. Thanks for playing along," Xander answered wryly. 

Riley grimaced. "Sorry, man. So, Christmas, huh?"

Xander straightened his shoulders, tugging on the hem of his shirt. "Yeah, no problem. I mean, maybe I _should_ dwell on it so the paralyzing fear won't eat me alive."

"You know I wouldn't let the demon maul you, sweetie," Willow told him, smiling reassuringly and putting a hand on his shoulder.

Faith jogged up as Xander put his arm around Willow's shoulders. "Big red demon come this way?" she asked, looking around.

Xander rolled his eyes. "Little late, Faith," he said, pointing at the remains of the demon. "Big red demon, now big green pile of goo. Like Christmas!"

Faith gave him an odd look. "Whatever. Better go tell Cordelia that the vision demon's toast," she said, starting back to the hotel.

"No thanks to Slayer Girl," Xander replied, letting go of Willow and following Faith.

"I knew Riley and Red were more than capable of handling it," Faith said, smirking with a pause. "And saving _your_ sorry ass at the same time."

"Hey! I resent that. I helped," Xander exclaimed, rushing to keep up. At Faith's look he added, "I did!"

Faith rolled her eyes. "Helped run away, maybe. Isn't that what you do best?"

"I hate you," Xander replied with a glare.

Faith smirked. "Feeling's mutual."

Willow grinned at Riley as Faith and Xander walked away. "Great job with the sword holdy goodness!"

Riley smiled. "We do good teamwork," he replied, gesturing for them to walk.

"I like teamwork. It's definitely of the good," Willow said with a nod as she started to walk.

Riley laughed softly. "Yeah, it helps."

"You know, that kind of _was_ a little on the scary side," she said, glancing at Riley. "I'm still not used to hunting demons that Cordy sees in her visions. I'm more used to the kind that jump out of the bushes and go 'grr' and then we hunt them down."

"But at least this way you know what's coming, right? Shouldn't that make it _less_ scary?" he asked, looking at her as they walked.

Willow looked at him as they got to the hotel. "Oh, I didn't mean scary for me. I meant for Cordelia," she said, shuddering involuntarily. "That thing was in her head. I couldn't do that. Demons and bad guys in my head all the time? Nuh uh, not for me."

"You're more than strong enough to handle it if you had to, Willow," Riley pointed out softly, slipping his hand into hers.

Willow blushed. "Thank you," she replied, opening the door of the Hyperion.

"Would you men leave me alone?" Cordelia said loudly, batting their hands away. "I'm fine! It was just a vision, not a brain tumor. Though, with the ways these are going that's about what it felt like."

"You should lie down," Angel said worriedly. He put his arm around Cordelia, trying to help her stand.

"Willow, tell him I'm fine," Cordelia said, looking up at Willow.

"Angel, she's okay," Willow said, not relinquishing Riley's hand. After a pause she looked at Cordelia. "Are you okay?"

Cordelia threw her hands up in the air in exasperation. "Yes!" she said standing. "Now the vision girl wants to have some fun, so I'm going to change and go to Caritas. If you guys think you can manage not asking me how I am every five seconds, you can come, too."

Willow giggled at Cordelia, letting go of Riley and moving to Cordelia's side. "I promise I won't ask, Cordy," she said, crossing her heart. "Cross my heart."

Cordelia grinned despite herself, linking arms with Willow as they went up the stairs. "Then I guess you can come, Will," she said, turning back to Riley and Angel. "And since Willow's coming, we're double dating it. You guys are coming, no arguments."

Riley smiled. "You won't get one out of me."

Me either," Angel replied, then muttered, "As long as I don't have to sing."

Cordelia pulled Willow closer as they walked up the stairs. "Were you guys holding hands, or was that another vision?" she asked with a grin.

Willow blushed. "We were very hand holdy."

Cordelia smirked. "And he just agreed to go on a date with you," she said smugly, letting go of Willow and going into her own room. 

Willow's jaw dropped as the realization of that statement set in, then she rushed into her room to change.


	3. 3

Chapter 3

"You didn't get smoochies?" Cordelia asked in shock.

Willow shrugged. "Maybe I'm not kissable?"

"You are definitely kissable, Will. If I were gay, I'd totally kiss you," she replied, putting a hand on Willow's arm.

Willow blushed, looking down. "Thanks…I think," she said, looking back up. "But no, there were no smoochies. Nada. Zilch. Zip. None."

"I get the picture, Will," Cordelia said with a little giggle before frowning. "I gave him the perfect opportunity, too. This will take more work than I thought."

Willow backed up when Cordelia's eyes light up with a grin. "I don't like that look, Cor. It's your 'I have an idea' look, and it's scary."

Cordelia laughed lightly. "Sometimes Xander has the best ideas," she said, standing and going to her desk. "I mean, you wouldn't think so with the way he acts. Ugh, and those clothes, but he has a bright idea every now and then."

"Xander? My Xander? Xander Harris? As in the Xander who you dated, Xander?" Willow asked, her eyes widening. "Okay, now I'm really scared."

"Got it!" Cordelia exclaimed, pulling a mangled piece of mistletoe out of the bottom of her desk drawer. 

"Cordelia, is that what I think it is?" Willow asked with a wary look.

Cordelia held it up with a grin. "Mistletoe!" she said, trying to smooth it out a little. "It's a little on the bruised side. I threw it in there last Christmas when I got mad that Ange- Well, that doesn't matter."

Willow giggled. "I know that story. He's very sorry," she said, then made a face. "Right, off topic, sorry. How does this fit in with Xander?"

"Christmas in June, remember?" she asked, pulling out a tack. She stood, going to the doorway to tack it to the doorframe. "Okay, stupid idea at first, right? I mean, who sees demon goo and thinks 'Christmas!' but it's Xander, so we'll let that slide," she said, standing back. "What do you think?"

"I think I'm going to go hide now," Willow said, starting for the door.

Cordelia grabbed Willow's arm, pulling her back. "Uh uh, Missy. You're staying right here, because," she said, looking out the door with a grin. "Here comes Riley!"

Willow groaned. "If you let me go, I'll go shopping with you the next five times and I won't complain. Promise."

Cordelia ignored her, walking to the door of the office. "Oh, Riley. Could you come here? Willow had a question for you," she said with a grin.

Riley smiled. "Sure, Cordy," he replied, walking to the door. He looked in and smiled warmly at Willow. "What do you need, Will?"

Cordelia grabbed Willow's arm, jerking her forward and almost into Riley. "Oh, look, mistletoe in June," she said, rolling her eyes. "Xander's such a dork. He just won't give up on his demon theory will he?"

Willow glared at Cordelia, but Cordelia just smiled. "You two kids have fun now," Cordelia said, winking at Willow, then walking away.

Riley looked down at Willow with a knowing smile. "Is she trying to give me a hint?" he asked, trying to get Willow to smile.

Willow smiled shyly, blushing and ducking her head. "Maybe," she said looking back up at him through her eyelashes. "I think I should tell you, it wasn't Xander's idea. The mistletoe? It was Cordy's."

Riley hooked a finger under Willow's chin to bring her face up to his, lowering his voice to almost a whisper. "I think I should tell you, it was a good one," he replied, dipping his head and kissing her gently.

"See, I told you it would work," Cordelia whispered, watching Riley and Willow from the door of Angel's office.

Angel rolled his eyes, putting his arm around her waist and gently pulling her back. "Would you stop spying on them?"

"I'm not spying," Cordelia replied, turning to face him. "I'm…being a concerned friend."

Angel laughed softly. "You're being a nosy friend. Leave them alone."

Cordelia rolled her eyes. "You know you love when I'm nosy," she pointed out, giving Angel a look.

Angel didn't reply. Instead, her stepped forward, pressing his lips to Cordelia's.

Cordelia pulled back enough to break the kiss. "Are you just trying to shut me up?" she asked, then grinned. "Because it's working."

Angel grinned back. "Then maybe I am," he replied, kissing her again.


End file.
